Sarah
In verse 11 of Hebrews 11, the writer shifts momentarily from Abraham’s faith to that of Sarah. It is through Sarah’s faith in God’s promise that she is able to conceive at the age of 90 and jointly with Abraham receive the blessing of the promise.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore (NKJ).
There are several interesting things about these verses when you read through the commentaries. First, there are those who argue that the faith being spoken of here is Abraham’s and not Sarah’s faith at all. When Sarah overhears the men speaking to Abraham in Genesis 18, she laughs at what she sees as a ridiculous suggestion that she would not only conceive but give birth to a child at the age of 90.
However, we see many examples of those who had faith and still didn’t understand the way God was going to work things out. Jonah comes to mind, and Job is another example. Both questioned God’s purpose and to some extent His ability to bring about His will. To suggest that Sarah’s faith isn’t her own undermines a woman who has been a loyal wife and partner to her faithful husband. Surely, Abraham’s faith would be bolstered by a wife who has faith of her own. She doesn’t seem to have questioned Abraham or made his obedience to God more difficult than it needed to have been. It’s true that, as a woman of her time, Sarah would not have had an equal say in what happened in her life, but she could surely have made things complicated! Leah complicates life for Jacob, and Peninah complicates life for Elkanah. A petty, complaining wife would have been an issue!
Sarah obviously believes that the promise God gave to Abraham will happen. In fact, one of her greatest mistakes is trying to help God make it happen and insisting that Abraham sire a son with Hagar. How often do we try to assist God in bringing forth His will? I’m completely guilty of being a control freak. I know that my need to control things is often disguised as “helping.” Sarah tries to control, to help, and sorrow and heartache and bitterness prevail.
However, I don’t believe her faith in God is dampened. And God is going to use her faith to produce new strength in her. He will renew a womb that never bore children - at the age of 90. It’s improbable, it’s unimaginable…it’s laughable…unless God is the One who promises.
I think it’s important to note that Abraham also laughed in Gen. 17:17, but he also fell on his face in worship, so his laughter must have been different. The man who will take that same son and offer him on an altar must have laughed in joy and not disbelief.
Romans 4:19 echoes the thought that the bodies of Abraham and Sarah may as well have been dead - they were no more likely to reproduce at 90 and 100 than if they were buried in the dirt. Yet, from these old, withered bodies came Isaac, the son of promise. And within 400 years, there would be a nation of millions.
Sarah laughed; it’s true. And maybe she laughed out of disbelief, but her disbelief didn’t linger. She clearly had faith that God would do what He said He would do. It is “by faith” that Sarah regains the strength of her childbearing years and is able to give birth to Isaac.
The theme of faith is that we accept the evidence of things we can not see; it provides substance to the things that we hope for. Sarah had surely hoped for a child; we know that she felt guilty that she never provided Abraham with an heir. Why else would she offer Hagar to him? God is going to give substance to that hope. He is going to require Sarah to believe in His ability to bring about the unimaginable. He will make the preposterous possible.
God will do what He has promised. We, too, are required to believe in God’s ability to bring about the unimaginable, both in our lives and in our salvation. God uses flawed, imperfect people. And even if our faith falters and we have moments of disbelief or doubt, God will remain faithful to His promise. It is His very nature to be faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 says that God cannot deny Himself and that the disbelief or denial of the truth doesn’t make it not true.
But when we try to control God’s timing, it is an impatience with God that can lead to sin; it leads Sarah to what surely would be the most devastating decision of her life. However, even in that awful situation, we see God looking after, not only Sarah and Abraham, but Hagar as well.
Sarah did not follow God perfectly…neither do we. However, her life offers us the evidence of God’s control in all situations, His loving kindness, and His promise of salvation. Things we can’t see are given substance in the life of the woman who laughed.